Rep. Tim Griffin: Obamacare Leads to Single Payer

The problem with Obamacare is it's a "one-size-fits-all" approach to healthcare that will ultimately lead to a single-payer system, House Ways and Means Committee member Rep. Tim Griffin said Wednesday.

"The problem with this law, it is a Washington-knows-best, one-size-fits-all, top-down deal that tells all of the states how they're going to do it. And what it ultimately is leading to is a single-payer system," the Arkansas Republican told Fox News' "Happening Now."

"We're pushing more people out of private insurance, into the exchanges. More people are going to be pushed onto Medicaid," he said Wednesday.

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Under a single-payer system, the government or a government-sponsored organization, rather than private insurance companies, collects all fees and pays all healthcare costs.

Griffin found himself caught up in a bit of drama with Democratic New Jersey Rep. Bill Pascrell during Tuesday's House Ways and Means Committee hearing.

The two collided over whether there were alternatives to Obamacare during the testimony of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Marilyn Tavenner.

Pascrell gave an animated response to a statement by Griffin.

"It is a false choice to say it is Obamacare or nothing. There are numerous proposals, including the one that I'm a co-sponsor of," Griffin said.

"You can sit there and say that you had a legitimate alternative after these years?" Pascrell shot back at Griffin. "We've gone through 44 votes, 48 votes now, of you trying to dismantle the legislation. You call that cooperation? I don't."

Griffin said it was "just false" for Pascrell to imply there are only two ways of dealing with healthcare.

"He was basically saying what a lot of Democrats want the American people to believe. And that is that there are only two options," Griffin said Wednesday. "Either Obamacare, as it is being implemented, or nothing at all. And that is just false."

Pascrell's actions were theatrics "for the camera," Griffin said.

"I don't think anyone on the committee really considered those antics to be serious. I think that was more for the camera. And apparently, it worked," Griffin said.

Calling Obamacare "fundamentally flawed," Griffin said it continues to be important to get the facts about it to the American people.

"This law is fundamentally flawed. And we have an obligation — if that is, in fact, our beliefs and the beliefs of our constituents — we have an obligation to continue to make the points that we're making," Griffin said.

The problem with Obamacare is it's a "one-size-fits-all" approach to healthcare that will ultimately lead to a single-payer system, House Ways and Means Committee member Rep. Tim Griffin said Wednesday.